Spirit of the Dragon, Vol L, Issue 2

The 50th Anniversary Edition

SpiritDragon

Del Dios Middle School • EUSD • Escondido, CA

of the

“VIDEO KILLED THE RADIO STAR” BUT IT’S REVIVING THE PAPER! Volume

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DDTV PREMIERES!

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letters from the editors

upcoming events qr code readers we like what they are

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which platforms will run them To watch Episode 1, scan the code above with your SmartPhone, iPodTouch or iPhone!

Nice work, DDTV staff! We look forward to more great shows!

Photo created from video broadcast edited by DDTV News Staff, Cameron Thompson

News anchors Eddie Solis and Alyssa Gomez introduce the first episode of DDTV for the 2011-2012 school year. DDTV premiered this year on October 4. The anchors had a professional air and the show was produced well. The new look comes from the introduction of Final Cut Pro X, which the student editors are using to create the broadcast show. To watch this episode, scan the QR code to the left.

CHORUS ROCKS

what can i do with a qr code? qr codes in action campus beat

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math animations mystery guest visitors in my opinion just for laughs

To see and listen to the Dragon Music Academy Chorus sing the National Anthem, scan the code above with your Smart- Phone, iPodTouch or iPhone!

Photo created from video recording by Spirit of the Dragon Newspaper Staff, Rachelle Browning

Our very own Dragon Music Academy Chorus performed at the opening ceremony with five other middle school choruses.

VIDEOS, ARTICLES & WEBSITES! OH, MY!!

By Amy Murphy, Advisor Videos in the newspaper?

This isn’t “Harry Potter”!

QR code? What’s that?

What’s happening to the newspaper?

It may be a sign of the times, or Del Dios might just be on the cutting edge of journalism, but either way we’ve got ‘em! QR codes, that is.

A QR code, short for “quick response”, is a series of squares

forming a unique pattern that holds information. From simply linking to a website, to providing a demonstration presentation, to playing a video, QR codes have the revival power many traditional newspapers may be needing to bring back the paper as a contender for today’s generation of readers.

Since 2010, Spirit of the Dragon has been using QR codes to pro-

vide additional information for its readers. The codes linked to school websites and online versions of the newspaper.

This year, the paper is using codes as a means to continue a news article and provide a media experience not previously possible. Why? Because it’s cool!

Throughout the paper you’ll see the familiar-looking patterned block. By scanning the code with

videos in the yearbook? game talk: civ IV

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crossword your smart phone, iPod Touch, or iPhone (equipped with a free code reader) you’ll be able to watch videos that enhance the news story, see more photos to go along with the article, view a presentation or demonstration of what was described in the article, or visit a website for more information about the article content.

haunted pearl necklace did you know? the great pumpkin

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FROM THE EDITORS By Zach Fox, Issue 2 Editor

Dear Readers,

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UPCOMING EVENTS OCT ‘11

NOV ‘11

DEC ‘11

Editing the issue you are currently reading was a laborious but fun task.

Over the course of five weeks, we put this paper together. Danny and I worked together to keep our journalists on task as well as each other.

MAPS Testing

11/2 Ugly Sweater Day

12/2 Trimester 1 Awards

10/4 Cherrydale Turn-in

11/6 Daylight Savings

Ends

12/8 8th Grade visits the

Midway

11/10 End Trimester 1

12/9 Winter Dance

11/11 Veteran’s Day,

Holiday

12/14 Winter Assembly,

Dragon Music

Academy

I had a great time working with the entire staff, even having the occasional “stick in the mud” writer.

10/14 Parent Conferences

10/7 Progress Reports 10/12 Neon Day

6th Grade Pizza!

10/13 Parent Conferences

11/21-25 Thanksgiving

Holiday

12/16 GPA Carnival Day

10/24-28 Red Ribbon 10/28 Halloween Dance

I think the best part about putting the paper together is the adrenaline rush you get when you publish an article and then see people reading it in a paper that you made happen.

I loved being one of this issue’s editor and will remember all the things I learned as I move on to my next adventure/task: editing the first ever: Digital Dragon, Del Dios’ first literary magazine!

FROM THE EDITORS By Danny Brutout, Issue 2 Editor

Dear Readers, The entire time it took to help edit the second issue of the paper with my co-editor, Zach, it was an all-the-time, onthe-clock, hard-working job and a fun experience.

What made it fun, you may ask, is that once you see all the hard work you have done to make something, you get a really proud warm feeling. You forget about all the difficult things and just feel really great.

The hardest part of building the paper is thinking of ideas, figuring out where the articles should go, and deciding what to write about so people will want to read it.

Well, I hope you enjoy reading the paper as much as I liked putting it together.

If you’re in 6th or 7th grade, think about joining the newspaper staff next year!

Principal Adkins has settled in and is enjoying her new role at Del Dios Middle School.

Be sure to say hello when you see her!

Spirit of the Dragon The October 2011-2012, Anniversary issue of ‘Spirit of the Dragon’ is dedicated to all Del Dios Middle School Alumni.

A

s we continue the second year of ‘Spirit of the Dragon’, we are excited for the upcoming celebration of the 50th Anniversary our school!

W

e, the staff of the Spirit of the Dragon, invite you to join us this year and contribute your thoughts, your photos, your stories, your memories! Not only would we like to include them in the paper, but we’re in the process of creating the Anniversary edition of the Yearbook! Let your memories be part of the celebration!

M50

ake this year, the th

Anniversary, the best year ever!

Advisor Amy Murphy Staff Photographers Zach Fox Daniel Bulli Gonzalez Hector Ramirez Amy Murphy Contributing Photographers Name Freelance Spirit Photographer

Contributing Content Kim Comes DDMS, Assistant Principal

Take us with you!

Use your smart phone, iPod Touch, iPhone or iPad 2 to scan the image above and take our website wherever you go!

Read news, stories, show your friends our awesome studentproduced school newspaper anywhere!

News Staff Christian Baiz Yaritza Barragan Rachelle Browning Danny Brutout Daniel Bulli Gonzalez Camille Cubar Adriana DeAlba Itzia Flores Zach Fox Hasatt Garcia Homer Gibbs Jasmin Gonzalez Yanely Gonzalez Ricardo Guerrero Isabeau Harrison Andrea Hernandez Jasmin Johnson Citlaly Marrufo Lizbeth Olea Hector Ramirez Angel Sanchez Lizbeth Sixto John Tracy Jorge Vazquez Julianne Vazquez Taylor Weitz Fowler Keith Zimmermann

Contact

Email: news@ddmsnews.com Phone: 760/432-2439 Web: www.ddmsnews.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/DDMSnews

Letters to the Editor

Email: editor@ddmsnews.com Paper letters can be dropped off to our DDMS News mailbox in the front office.

Photos

Email: photos@ddmsnews.com Photos can be dropped off to our DDMSnews mailbox in the front office. Please be sure to include your contact info for returning purposes.

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QR CODE READERS WE LIKE & THE PHONES THEY WORK WITH. GO ON, GIVE ‘EM A TEST RIDE!

By Daniel Bulli Gonzalez and John Tracy, Staff Writers (Graphic by Spirit of the Dragon Graphic Design Team)

AT&T Code Reader and Generator

ScanLife Code Reader

Blackberry Devices Nokia Internet Services

BeeTagg Code Reader and Generator

Kaywa Code Reader and Generator

iPhone, iPad2, iPodTouch Windows Devices

UpCode Code Reader and Generator

Tag by Microsoft Code Reader

Android Devices Samsung Platform

Disclaimer: Reference herein to any specific commercial products, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by Spirit of the Dragon newspaper, Del Dios Middle School, or Escondido Union School District. The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of Del Dios Middle School or EUSD, and shall not be used for advertising or product endorsement purposes.

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Spirit of the Dragon - Del Dios Middle School

OK. NOW THAT I KNOW WHAT IT IS AND I’VE GOT THE READER, WHAT CAN I DO WITH IT?

By Daniel Bulli Gonzalez and John Tracy, Staff Writers (Graphic by Spirit of the Dragon Graphic Design Team)

Disclaimer: We know “share” is not spelled “sher” as it is above. However, the graphic was exported and the raw version was no longer available to edit.

News

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YOU KNOW WHAT IT IS AND WHAT TO DO WITH IT. NOW, TAKE A LOOK AT QR IN ACTION!

By Daniel Bulli Gonzalez and John Tracy, Staff Writers

FUTURE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHERS CREATE MATH ANIMATIONS ASB ROCKS OUR CAMPUS!!! GO DRAGONS!!!

Contributed by Sue Glascoe, tech4mathed Animations by Mrs. Glascoe’s MAT156 Students

Mrs. Glascoe’s students were asked to write a math story problem and download the free trial of Animation-ish to animate their story!

The animation above, shows a multiplication function. All of the animations on Mrs. Glascoe’s website focus on a math concept and serve to “animate” an explanation. Please feel free to browse and learn!

Thank you, Mrs. Glascoe, for contributing the work of your students!

By Yaritza Barragan and Adriana De Alba, Staff Writers

Mrs. Glascoe teaches in Arizona at Mesa College. You can find her at tech4mathed.com

Mrs. Glascoe teaches in Arizona at Mesa College. You can find her at tech4mathed.com and read about her North Star Bridge project at http://www.thenorthstarbridgeproject.org/

Card Fun, MAT156 Student Project

7TH GRADE SCIENCE: 8TH GRADE SOCIAL STUDIES: WHAT’S A CHEEK CELL? MYSTERY GUEST VISITOR FROM THE PAST

By Hector Ramirez, Staff Writer

Have you ever seen what your cheek cell looks like?

All of the seventh grade students who have Mrs. Moghal for science know exactly what theirs look like!

In the picture below, you can see what a cheek cell looks like compared to an onion cell.

What did you think yours would like through a microscope? These students were completely surprised and amazed at how dirty their cheeks were! Can you find the particles?

To watch a TeacherTube video about a Cheek Cell lab scan the QR below!

Thanks, Mrs. Moghal for an awesome lab!

By Daniel Bulli Gonzalez, Staff Writer

Photo by Daniel Bulli Gonzalez, fron his interview of a mystery guest from the past.

(Yes, we know it’s Mrs. Middleton, 8th Grade History teacher extraordinaire!)

We interviewed a very special guest on campus recently. From the “great colony of Massachusetts”, this guest visitor from the past had some interesting things to share with us. Scan the qr code to the right and listen to the clues.

Do you know who she is?

Mystery Guest Visitor video

DEADLINE

By Homer Gibbs, Staff Writer

IT BEGINS WITH ME

By Kimberly Israel, CARE Youth

“It Begins with Me” promo video, CARE

“Deadline”is a quick look at getting ready for another issue of the paper. Scan to watch!

This October there have been lots of exciting events! The first event was Neon Day! Wear the brightest colors you have.

Then comes Red Ribbon Week.

Be Drug Free! SAY NO TO DRUGS! Don’t forget about our next Halloween Dance!

Here are the dates of the upcoming events: October 12: Neon Day RED RIBBON WEEK: Oct 24: Wear red Oct 25: Put a cap on drugs (wear a hat) Oct 26: Blackout drugs (wear black) Oct 27: Team Up Against Drugs (wear sports gear) Oct 28: Halloween Dance

6TH GRADE SOCIAL STUDIES: MS. AUSTIN

7TH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS: MRS. FLAHERTY

On September 7, Ms. Austin’s class was reviewing maps, geography terms, starting techniques of power reading for textbooks and labeling the eastern hemisphere map and are going to work on it for another week. That week the sixth graders were still adjusting to sixth grade.

On September 14, Ms. Austin’s class was having a test on the eastern hemisphere, learning what anthropologists do and they found out about early humans. They were working on the same material for another week but they were doing really well and are getting better at the material every week.

On September 21, her class was starting to learning about the hunter-gatherer societies and is planning to have it finished by the end of that week. During that week, she learned that most students did very well on their test on the eastern hemisphere.

On September 28, the class was learning about early farming and hope to have it finish in two weeks and the reason for that it was just because they were just long activities.

On September 13, 2011 in Mrs. Flaherty’s seventh grade class, they are working on practicing preview statement. They are learning the main idea and nonfiction text. They are reading an article called Motocross Marvel by Zachary Jones. This is an ongoing activity that might be done in November, because she’s training students to pull necessary information out of what they read and it takes quite a long time to get good at it. Mrs. Flaherty also said that she saw some classes doing better than other classes and other classes are having a hard time.

On September 20, 2011, they worked on finishing main ideas and they also worked on an academic summary. This work has been taking a long time but Mrs. Flaherty is patient with her students. She never gives up on her students and helps them out whenever they need it.

On September 27, 2011, Mrs. Flaherty’s class were working on an article that takes place in Iowa and it’s about a girl named Cassy,who wrestles with a guy. They are also working on writing preview statements and main idea. The students are also learning to analyze the text quicker. Her classes are doing well and they are beginning to understand the work.

By Camille Cubar, Staff Writer

TeacherTube Cheek Cell Lab video

“It Begins with Me” was in the air as staff from all schools in the Escondido Union School District gathered at the California Center for the Arts on August 17, 2011, to kick off the new school year with featured keynote, Damon Lopez.

To watch the rest of this article scan the qr code to the right.

ASB (Associated Student Body) is a program for 8th grade students to get involved with the school events and the community.

It’s a program for those who have the skills and who are committed to staying for any events and help out.

ASB students organize school dances, help organize school activities at lunch, deliver school announcements, and many other fun events that occur on campus.

ASB is also in charge of spirit days, for example: Pajama Day, Crazy Hair Day, and Sunglasses Day! These are fun events that all students like to participate in and they have fun!

ASB is not just a fun and entertaining class, it’s also the kind of class you need to put your best effort into! Every single student in the class has to work together to find the best way to achieve suc-

cess in their event. When they prepare our school dances, they have to be sure that every single student will enjoy the dance.

So as you can see, ASB is a great program to get involved in but it also takes a lot of work!

Thanks, ASB! You ROCK!

By Yanely Gonzalez, Staff Writer

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DO YOU CHEW GUM IN CLASS?

By Andrea Hernandez, Staff Writer

WHO DID IT?

Mr. Red: “Mr.Blue did it” Mr.Blue: “Mr. Red did it” Mr. Green: “Mr. Blue’s telling the truth” Mrs. Yellow: “Mr.Green’s not lying.”

HOW MANY “F’S” ARE THERE?

Fine Point It is easy to miss the finer points in life. Folk are frequently guilty of falling into this trap. Did you?

CRAZY FACTS

1. There is more computing power in a happy birthday sound card than the whole world in 1952! (Source - Innovations magazine 1995) 2. To have your picture taken by the very first camera you would have had to sit still for 8 hours!

By Rachelle Browning, Staff Writer

paper, but without the troubles of passing.

Classes are very short, we have plenty of time to talk during passing periods, lunch, and after/ before school! Passing notes and texting in class is a problem because you could be hurting someone or putting yourself in a place of trouble.

Do the school, the faculty, and the students a favor! Hold it until after class!

3. The technology contained in a single game boy unit in 2000 exceeds all the computing power that was used to put the first man on moon in 1969.

4. Surgeons who grew up playing video games make 37 percent fewer mistakes.

5. There are only 14 blimps in the world.

6. The normal static electricty shock that zaps your finger when you touch a doorknob is usually between 10,000 and 30,000 volts!

7. The first alarm clock could only ring at 4 a.m.

8. The electric chair was invented by a dentist!

9. The average car produces a pound of pollution every 25 miles!

10. A small airplane can fly backwards.

GOT SPIRIT? WANT MORE?

By Rachelle Browning, Staff Writer After interviewing and conversing with a few students on their opinion on spirit days and laying out all the given data, the answer was provided! Neon Day is most popular and, sadly, Crazy Hair Day is least. There are so many spirit days and yet so few people celebrate!

During spirit days, mainly the popular ones, the students “feel the happiness and anxiousness in the air”. What if we could have

Spirit of the Dragon - Del Dios Middle School

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CAN’T IT WAIT?

Passing notes in class. It’s a minor problem in class, but can somehow spruce up a lot of trouble. Notes that are passed in class can be about simple topics, ranging from a recent crush, to perhaps rumors and gossip.

Kids who don’t get caught sometimes benefit from the thrill of being ‘bad’, and continue doing it. Soon, kids have an insatiable urge to pass notes in class, regardless of the consequences.

Texting in class though, is a bit of a bigger dilemma. Not everyone has a phone, but most do. Most students find it to be the easiest way of communicating, without being caught. In a way, texting is like the never-ending

Opinion

this feeling more often! Spirit days are spread throughout the entire year and there are quite a few. However, many feel that they are so unimportant and not fun enough that they forget about them.

Would you like to have more spirit days? With more fun?

What if we could have more pajama days? What about Reada-Thon Days? Along with spirit days, more events could be planned on the school calendar!

Consider YOUR ideas and talk to your ASB representative or you can try and create one yourself!

Do you chew gum in class?

Well I can’t lie, we all do it. I believe that the problem is not that we are chewing the gum, but that we don’t throw the wrappers and gum in the trash can.

The school rule says that we are not allowed to chew gum. If students weren’t so irresponsible by spitting the gum on the ground, we would be allowed to chew gum on campus. Its disgusting when someone is happily walking on campus and they step on a wad of

Photo by Daniel Bulli Gonzalez

gum, especially with brand new shoes. Then they have to clean it off. It’s very gross and it is hard to get off.

If students are going to be chewing gum in class, they should throw the trash and the gum in

the garbage. Maybe, if we all work together and show Del Dios that we can chew gum and place it in the proper place, than maybe we could chew gum at school!

Together we can make a difference!

PUZZLE TIME

By Jorge Vazquez, Staff Writer

IPAD VS TEXTBOOKS

By Danny Brutout, Staff Writer

Are you exhausted from carrying heavy text books in your backpack all day long? Well there is a new way to make your backpack lighter, iPads. I went to work after my teacher gave me the idea to go and ask kids around the school “Which is better, iPads or Textbooks? Out of 45 students they all said iPads would be more useful than textbooks.

I also asked two teachers, Ms. Robson and Ms. Thornton, and they both said iPads would be great for students since these days we’re really good with technology. It would probably help the students learn even more.

With iPads you would never have to take out a notebook or a textbook again because you can take notes, do math problems, read a book, and your textbooks would never be outdated again.

The problems with the iPads though, is that they are very fragile. For example, if you were to drop them, they could crack or break; also some kids might fool around with them by getting apps that aren't needed.

The solution would be to put protection locks on the iPads so students can’t access inappropriate material. That way the iPads are just for working purposes.

Since kids are so use to having technology around them, it might get kids to learn more then they are right now.

So get your iPad today!

why are you late to class?

i'm not late, you're early!

Leisure

50 Years of Spirit 1962-2012

Spirit of the Dragon - Del Dios Middle School

GOT VIDEO? WANT IT IN THE YEARBOOK?

By Yearbook Staff

Daniel enjoys a good song by Bruno Mars while brainstorming ideas for Issue 3 of the paper. Video and still by newspaper staff.

Yep! That’s right! VIDEO in the yearbook! If you’ve got a favorite video that you’ve made, upload it to our Josten’s site (info left) and if it passes the test (you know, all the requirements that make it okay for publishing) then we just might include it the 50th Anniversary yearbook!

Here’s what we’re looking for: ~ videos of you and friends talking about what makes Del Dios great ~ clips of you and friends talking about favorite memories and/or times here at Del Dios ~ videos of Del Dios team sports - great moments in the game ~ videos of Del Dios clubs and organizations doing team stuff and having fun If you’ve got an idea that helps to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of our school, go for it! Upload it and we’ll take a look!

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GAME TALK: CIVILIZATION IV

By Homer Gibbs, Staff Writer Ever heard of the name Civilization IV or Civ 4? Well, if you haven’t, I’m Homer Gibbs and this Game Talk.

The game is a turn-based strategy game, or click and drag to see the battlefield and see you men and city. It was released in North America, Europe,and Australia between October 25 and November 4 in the year 2005.

Now, as I wrote before, the game is turn-based you also start out with very limited initial resources like any other starting Civilization. You can build empires as big as modern day America or as big as China or bigger and it all starts with one settler building a small city. You then compete with rival nations.

You can use the geography to your advantage or geography will work against you. You must encourage your people to take bold steps in the fields of Science, Mathematics, Culture, and the Arts. The starting date is

in the year 4000 B.C. Some of your goals are to beat out all the other Civilizations; land a sleeper ship in the Alpha Centauri star system; and win the favor of the people. The game ends in the year 2025.

This game runs on boost python.

This system generates random maps and allows it to make complex scripted enemies for that human feel. You can also make a random map from scratch or you can benefit from a map already made by making rivers or mountains and many other land masses. In the game itself there are many modern and notso modern leaders you will have to go up against and destroy. As you play the game you will find that the sound track is beautifully crafted and fitted to the place you’re in or the nation that you are in. The sound track also has people who share music such as Gengis and Kublai Khan. This civilization uses 3D imaging so no matter where your camera is on the map you will always get a good view of the map you are in. Also when you build things

you will hear random sounds that play when things are built such as Banks, Businesses,etc.

When you enter different areas different images will appear that item would have something to do with the age you are in. This civilization is not the first to use SETI. This game, in my opinion, gets 4 out of 4 stars! Thanks for reading this article!

ACROSS 3. Watch 5. Spears’ tot 6. Limbs 7. Moakler of pageants 9. James’ “The Turn of the ____” 11. Zilch 12. Lynn of country music 13. Scary of the The Spice Girls, aka 14. “One ____ Hill 17. ______ disease

18. Leave 23 Rhythm and blues singer, ____ Keys 24. Two people 25. Colossus of Rhodes; god 27. New York hotel (2 words)

8. Cow 9. Film Festival 10. “Cape ______” 12. Poe’s “_______” 13. Southeast Asian nation 15. Fear of death 16. The _______ 19. Mesmerize 20. _____ dunk 21. Weather _______ 22. ______ Mars 23. Decay

Scary CROSSWORD: SCARY!

We’re in this together.

Get your school’s limited edition yearbook now.

jostens.com

ACROSS YEARBOOKS $40 3 Watch 5 Spears’ tot GET YOURS IN ROOM 49 TODAY! 6 Limbs 7 Moakler of pageants

DOWN 1. Cast a ballot 2. Dirt 4. Cutting tool 5. _____ Boulevard

DOWN 1 Cast a ballot 2 Dirt 4 Cutting tool 5 _____ Boulev

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By Camille Cubar, Staff Writer

Alexander, and the quija, I didn’t even ask why they were here so I just led them into the guest room.

Freddy is a tall muscular guy who loves to work out and impress the girls in the cheer leading squad, he is on the football team and I gotta say that he’s a smarty pants. He’s only joining us because he doesn’t believe in ghost and he wants to impress Jessica in some way.

Alexander is a more quiet guy who’s shy around girls. He has black layered hair and dresses like a skater. He likes to contact the dead, you can tell why he would join us.

Jessica laid out the quija and lighted up candles, while she did that I talked with the boys. After she was done she told us to get in a circle . Once we sat down she turned off all the lights in the room and told all of us to put our hands on that small thing that moves when you ask something.

So we did as she said and she asked if there was a soul, and the board answered yes.

She asked that what did it want and it spelled out ‘pearl’.

Once again she asked what do you want? it answered once again ‘pearl’.

She asked is that where is it? and it spelled out ‘neck’.

I looked towards my neck where the pearl necklace hung.

The soul got mad because objects started to fly everywhere and a shadow appeared at the doorway.

Jessica finally noticed the pearl necklace and she asked me something but I couldn’t hear her with all the noise of the wind and the barking of Lucky. Suddenly everything stood still and she asked me once again and this time I heard her and she asked me that where did I get the pearl necklace?

I answered her that Lucky found it buried in the woods. Jessica told me that I should put it back from where I found it, I agreed and took it back the next morning.

Ever since the day I left the pearl necklace back in its place everything went back to normal and now I’m back to the cheerful me again.

Every morning on my morning walk I’ll always pass the woods where the haunted pearl necklace still remains.

As you pass by the woods you can hear the irony and cries of the mother and her child, and if you dare enter you’ll suffer a painful death and your soul will forever roam the woods.

The End

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THE HAUNTED PEARL NECKLACE It all started on my morning walk with my dog, Lucky. Lucky has white fur and blue eyes.

He gives you lots of wet kisses, you can see that he’s a loving dog. By the way, I’m Melody, I’m 17 years old, tall, I have black layered hair, and green eyes and I’m always smiling. This morning as I walked by the woods with my dog, Lucky, I got startled with his barking as he stared towards the woods. Lucky ran towards the woods, I followed.

Once I got there he was digging and I saw the shine of a beautiful pearl necklace. As I reached down for it, I felt a cold breeze but ignored the feeling. “Come on Lucky” I told him.

As we walked home I had a feeling that someone was watching me. My dog barked and barked all the way home. We got home and I laid in bed and stared at the pearl necklace. ‘knock knock’ I heard coming from the window.

“It’s the tree” I said trying not to be scared.

Throughout the night I kept hearing footsteps and I could feel the presence of the dead.

The next morning as I sat in the living room watching the t.v with Lucky, I saw a shadow pass behind me and I got the chills, all I did was hug my dog tight and prayed for whatever it was to go away.

A year past, still no one knows about the souls in my life, and today I still hear the footsteps of an adult and the cry of a child, but I ignore it. This morning I saw a shadow pass behind me as I made some popcorn. “ roof roof!” my dog barked telling me that something was near.

I finally got the strength to called my friend Jessica and tell her about what has been happening, . She said that she is coming over so we can talk about it and maybe find out what the souls want so they go away and leave me alone. Before she hung up she asked what I was doing and once I told her that I was making popcorn she got excited, ha ha! I gotta say this girl loves to eat.

Jessica is now 18 years old like me, and the same size as me, shes 5’4 and has blue eyes,and straight, long, layered, blond hair, loves to eat, and she’s always in a good mood. By the way Jessica is a cheer leader and she’s flexible, and can do the splits and many cheer leading things.

An hour later Jessica came, but not alone she brought Freddy,

It’s Fall!

DID YOU KNOW ???

By Jorge Vazquez, Staff Writer

Pumpkins

are a fruit that originated in Central America

The name “pumpkin” comes from the Greek word: , meaning ‘a large melon’

pepon

90 %

of the pumpkin is made up of water!

The yellow-orange flowers that bloom from a pumpkin vine are

edible!

Using pumpkins as lanterns at Halloween is from an ancient custom brought to America by European immigrants.

Celtic

That’s how much the world’s heaviest pumpkin weighed!

It was grown by Chris Stevens (USA) and was recorded on October 9, 2010!

1,8150 lbs!

Pumpkins, and their seeds, were a celebrated food of the Native American Indians who treasured them both for their and

medicinal

dietary properties!

That’s how many acres of fruit the state of Illinois harvests!

Illinois grows more pumpkins than any other state in the country!

12,300 acres

THE GREAT PUMPKIN

By Jorge Vazquez, Staff Writer

After October and November you will not hear much about our friend, the pumpkin. Why is that?

Pumpkins are fun to carve, they get you in the Halloween spirit, you can make pumpkin pie, and you can roast the seeds to make a salty snack.

Pumpkins are believed to have originated in Central America. Seeds of related plants have been found in Mexico, they date back over 7000 years to about 5500 B.C. Native American Indians used pumpkins to make mats. They would flatten strips of pumpkin, dry them out and make mats. Native Americans also used the seeds for food and medicine. Did you know that in early colonial times, pumpkins were used as an ingredient for the crust of pies, not the filling? Pumpkins were also once recommended for removing freckles and curing snake bites.

Pumpkins are one of the fruits that are very low in calories. They provide just 26 cal per 100 g and contain no saturated fats or cholesterol. They are also a rich source of dietary fiber, anti-oxidants, minerals, vitamins. Pumpkins are recommended by dietitians in cholesterol controlling and weight reduction programs. They also contain an essential vitamin for vision. Research studies suggest that natural foods rich in vitamin A help the body protect against lung and oral cavity cancers.